Chapter 3: That overwhelming feeling
697 Words
Back in the hallway, James suddenly felt a strange chill run down his spine.
“Why do I feel like something’s about to happen?” he muttered.
Camilla glanced at him. “What are you talking about?”
James shook his head. “Nothing… just a weird feeling.”
But deep down, he knew—
His life was about to get a lot more complicated.
Max walked through the campus corridors with a calm but focused expression. Students passed by, chatting and laughing, but he barely noticed them.
His mind was elsewhere.
Pretty…
The word replayed in his head, followed by the image of James’ slightly flustered face.
Max smirked faintly.
“Found someone interesting already?” Philip asked, walking beside him.
“I told you,” Max replied casually. “He’s different.”
“You don’t even know his name.”
“I will.”
Meanwhile, James was with Aston and Camilla, heading toward the cafeteria.
“I still can’t believe they announced you like that,” Camilla said. “The whole class was staring!”
James shrugged. “Let them stare. It doesn’t change anything.”
Aston chuckled. “You say that now, but wait till rumors start spreading.”
James sighed. “Great. Just what I need.”
As they turned the corner—
James froze.
Standing a few steps ahead was Max.
Leaning casually against the wall, like he had been waiting.
Like he knew.
Aston blinked. “Oh… hey, Max.”
Max’s gaze didn’t leave James.
“Found you,” he said simply.
James felt his heartbeat spike.
Why is he here…?
Camilla looked between them, confused. “Wait—you guys know each other?”
“Barely,” James replied quickly.
Max straightened and walked closer, his presence immediately overwhelming.
“I wouldn’t say that,” he said. “We had a moment.”
James’s face heated up instantly.
“That was not a moment,” he muttered.
Aston smirked. “Oh? What kind of ‘moment’ are we talking about?”
“Nothing!” James snapped.
Max tilted his head slightly, clearly amused.
“I called him pretty,” he said.
Camilla gasped. “YOU WHAT?”
James covered his face. “Why would you say that out loud?!”
Max stopped right in front of him.
Up close, it was worse.
Or… better.
James couldn’t tell.
“You still haven’t told me your name,” Max said, his voice lower now.
James hesitated for a second.
“…James.”
Max smiled.
“James,” he repeated, like he was testing how it sounded.
James swallowed.
“Now can you stop being weird?” he said, trying to regain control.
“No.”
There was a pause.
A strange, charged silence.
Then Max leaned slightly closer.
“I meant what I said yesterday,” he added. “I’m going to pursue you.”
James’s heart skipped.
“You don’t even know me,” he said.
“I don’t need to,” Max replied. “Not yet.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Aston crossed his arms, clearly entertained. “Wow… I didn’t expect this today.”
Camilla nodded dramatically. “This is getting interesting.”
“Can you both not?” James groaned.
Max stepped back slightly, giving him space—but his eyes never left James.
“Let’s start simple,” he said. “Have lunch with me.”
James blinked. “What?”
“Lunch,” Max repeated. “Right now.”
“That’s not simple,” James replied. “That’s random.”
Max shrugged. “Say no, then.”
James opened his mouth—
Then paused.
I’ll give Max a chance…
His own words echoed in his mind.
He exhaled slowly.
“…Fine.”
Aston immediately grinned. “Oh, this is happening.”
Camilla clapped softly. “I love this already.”
James shot them a look. “Relax. It’s just lunch.”
Max smiled, satisfied.
“For now,” he said.
As they began walking together, James could feel it again—
That unfamiliar warmth in his chest.
That slight nervousness.
That curiosity.
And this time, he didn’t push it away.
- Writer
